As Wuhan, China goes on lockdown due to Coronavirus, officials deny US threat

WUHAN, CHINA (KUSI) – China’s president is now warning the deadly Coronavirus outbreak is accelerating.  The move comes as more than 30 million people across 11 Chinese cities are on lockdown.

Overall, 56 people have died in China due to the virus.

The impact of the Coronavirus is being felt not only in the health community, but also in businesses, taking a particular hit on travel and tourism industries.

Shanghai Disney is shutting its doors McDonald’s is suspending operations and hotel chains are offering free cancellation.  Airline stocks have been hit particularly hard on the eve of Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in the Chinese calendar.

All flights and public transportation in Wuhan are currently suspended.

The US plans to evacuate all US citizens from Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the outbreak.

While the World Heath Organization is calling the situation an emergency in China, it has yet to make it a worldwide emergency.

Meantime the Centers for Disease and Control has now confirmed the two Americans affected by the virus both spent time in China before the outbreak.

Health officials are saying the public should not panic; symptoms are similar to the common cold, and Chinese officials are saying that most of the 56 deaths have been people who were older than 50 and had underlying health problems.